Safety razor



Oct. 23, 1934. J. E. MCWILLIAMS SAFETY RAZOR INVENTOR JOSEPH E. M WILLIAMS BY HIS ATTORNEYS Filed May 4, 1935 Patented Oct. 23, 1934- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Joseph's. McWilliams, New York, N. Y.

Application May 4, 1933, Serial No. 669,414

7 Claims.

This invention relates to safety razors and more particularly to safety razors of the type in which a thin flexible or wafer blade is used and it is an object of this invention to provide i an improved razor of the type described in which tension when the parts of the razor are assem-,

bled inzthe usual manner. t

,In the drawing-- Fig. 1 is a'view of a razor constructed in accordance with this invention looking at the cap member; part of which is broken away in order to show the relation of the blade and guard more clearly;

V Fig. 2 is a view of the structure shown in Fig. 1

with the cap removed and parts of the blade and blade guard broken away to show more clearly the yielding means which hold the parts of the blade guard together and with the parts of the blade guard in engagement;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. l with the cap and portion of the blade broken away to show the guard sections more clearly, the guard sections being separated as in use;

Fig. 4 is a section taken as on the line 4--4 .of Fig. 1 extending longitudinally of the axis of Fig. 8 is a view with the cap removed and the blade partly broken away to show a means for adapting the razor for use with thin and defective blades;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a blade designed for use in connection with the razor shown; and

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the adaptor shown in Fig. 9.

As shown in the drawing, a razor constructed in accordance with this invention comprises a cap 1 having the short centrally located threaded stem 2 which is engaged in a threaded opening of a handle 4 and a blade guard 6 held between the handle 4 and the cap 1. The blade guard 6 is formed of two sections, 6a and 6b, having the usual guard portions 8 along opposite edges and the corner lugs 10. The guard sections 6a and 6b are provided with spaced tubular portions 12 extending parallel to the guard edges and upon opposite sides of the central opening 11 of the guard. Pins 14 are mounted in the tubular portions 12, the openings in the tubular portions 12 of one of thesections, as section 6a, may be of substantially the same diameter as the pins 14 so that the pins 14 are fixed in said openings in section 6a, or the pins 14 may be secured therein in any suitable manner. In section 62) the openings are large enough to permit free movement of the pins 14 in the openings and for aportion of their length theopenings are enlarged, as at 16, the enlarged portions extending inwardly from the outer edge of the section 6b in order to receive springs 18 which are confined between the inner heads of the enlarged portions of the openings and between the heads 140. formed on the pins 14. Surrounding the central opening 11 the sections are thickened, as at 20, the inner face of the thickened portion forming an extension of the Wall of the center opening and is inclined to the axis of the opening for a portion of its length to form an outwardly diverging conical cam face 22 which cooperates with a corresponding conical cam face 24 on the end of the handle 4, the relation of the conical cam faces 22 and 24 being such that as the handle 4 is screwed upon the stem 2 of the cap 1 the cam face 24 travels inwardly on the cam face 22 and the sections 6a and 6b are forced apart.

The lugs or projections 10 on the blade guard 6 have bevelled inner ends providing inwardly converging faces 25 which cooperate with correspondingly directed faces 26 formed on the outwardly extending projections 28 on the hinge portions 30 of the blade 27.

To assemble the razor for use, the blade 27 is placed on the guard 6 with the faces 26 on the projections 27 adjacent the faces 25 on the lugs 10 of the guard. The cap 1 is then placed on the guard 6 with the stem 2 extending through the central opening 31 in the blade and the opening 11 formed in the guard and the handle 4 is screwed upon the stem 2 of the cap 1. As the handle 4 is screwed upon the stem 2 the cam face 24 on the end of the handle engages the cam faces 22 on the guard sections 6a, and 6band separates the guard sections forcing the faces 25 on the lugs 10 on the guard 6 into engagement with the faces 26 on the projections 28 of the blade 27, the engagement of the projections 26 on the blade with the lugs 10 on the guard limiting the separation of the sections 6a and 6b of the guard. Limiting the separation of the guard sections by means of the blade causes the handle 4, through its engagement with the stem 2, to draw the cap 1 against the blade 27 forcing the blade towards the guard and at the same time causes the lugs 10, through their engagement with the projections 28 on the blade 2'7 to place the cutting edge portions of the blade in tension, thus ensuring that the blade edges will be held in the proper shaving position for use.

When the handle is unscrewed from the cap 1, the springs 18 draw the guard sections together releasing the blade from the lugs 10 and permitting the ready removal of the blade as soon as. the handle 4 is disengaged from the stem 2 of the cap and the cap removed fromthe guard.

In those cases where a blade; of extreme thinness is used a filler member 32 having the projections 34 to engage with the lugs 10- 0f the guard may be used in connection with the thin blade in order to prevent the strain upon the projections. 28 of the blade from injuring the blade. It will also be understood that where undue, strain or imperfect tempering has caused one, or more of the projections 28 to be broken the use of the filler member 32 will permit the use of the blade although the blade edge portions will, of. course, not be given the desired tension for use.

1 ing said guard to adjustably tension said blade.

2. In a, safety razor, a blade, an expansible blade guard engaging said blade, a cap, means securing said cap to said guard and wedging means on said'securing means expanding said guard to place said blade in tension.

3. In a safety razor an expansible blade guard, a cap, a handle, cooperating means on said handle and cap to draw said cap towards said guard, means on said handle to expand said guard and means limiting the expansion of said guard and causing said cap to be drawn; to said guard.

4. In a safety razor, an expansible blade guard, a cap, a handle, cooperating screw threads on said cap and handle for drawing said cap to said guard, wedging means on said handle for expandingsaid guard and means engaging said guard and limiting the expansion thereof to fix said cap with respect to said guard.

5'. In a safety razor, an expansible blade guard, a cap, means to draw said cap towards said guard and a Wedge operated by said means to expand said, guard and a blade engaging said, guard and limiting expansion thereof.

6. In a safety razor, an expansibleblade guard comprising separable sections and" means yield.- ingly holding said sections together, lugs on said sections, a, cap, a blade engaging said, lugs and means to draw said cap to said guard, said means causing a, separation of the blade guard sections and placing said blade in tension.

'7. In a safety razor, an expansible blade guard,

a cap, a blade between said cap. and guard and means securing said cap and guard together, said. 

